2 years ago I bought replacement blades to have in my trunk just in case I needed one (yes they're the right size, I don't remember the brand, but they weren't the super cheap ones, maybe about $20 each?). That winter, IN got hit with a ton of snow and I had to replace my passenger side one and everything was fine.

This year, we replaced the driver's side one because it wasn't doing a very good job (streaking water across my view instead of clearing it). The first time I drove with the new wiper it was fine for awhile, then suddenly got stuck at the stop and didn't move. I pushed it back down when I got where I was going (it was barely sprinkling) and then it was fine. A week later the same thing happened. My husband took it off, inspected everything and put it back on. It's been fine since then (about 2nd week of December), then this morning, it was fine while I was on the main highway and it was pouring, for the first 30 min. of my commute, thank God. Then, for the last 30 min., the rain had lightened up a bit but I had to get out SIX TIMES to fix it. I'm gonna take it off and put it back on before I head home today and my husband and I are going to buy a new one and hope it was just a defective wiper.

Any other ideas on what it could be? When my husband took it off in december, he took both wipers off, inspected the wipers and where you connect them to the car and he said they looked identical.

Bondo

01-08-2008 12:49 PM

Ayuh,.......

Just a Guess,.......

I doubt it's the actual Wiper Blade that's the Problem.....
It's much more likely the Wiper Transmission is Failing,+ will probably need to be Replaced......

47_47

01-08-2008 01:02 PM

On many newer cars, the wiper arm and the pivot are splined and the arm is held in place by a nut. There should be a plastic cover over the nut. If this is the case, park the blades and tighten the nut.

handyman78

01-08-2008 01:55 PM

As Bondo said- it may be the transmission (read small gearbox) that houses the wiper motor. It is possible that one of the gears has stripped as many are nylon or other plastic. This would require replacement.
Otherwise the wiper blade has no movement action other than to keep the rubber wiper close to the glass.

jkrodger

01-08-2008 08:53 PM

well when I left work it didn't want to work at all but it was still raining so I took it to the nearby repair shop and they tightened enough to get me home and said it should last for a bit. He said it looks like it's stripped and the arm will need to be replaced.